Drugs in Sports: Athletes Abuse Marijuana

This article is the reaction of a writer to a story ESPN broke about a large amount of college football players at the University of Oregon who partake in smoking marijuana. The article plays the story off like it is okay to smoke marijuana because everyone is doing it, which in my opinion that is absoluely wrong of the writer. The article compares smoking marijuana to having premarital sex and drinking, saying that it is just something college students do. ESPN's story says that about 19 current and former Oregon players stated that somewhere between 40-60% of their teammates smoked marijuana. http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2012/04/oregon_ducks_rundown_espn_stor.html

In class we spoke about deviance in sports on 4/3 and 4/5. We spoke about the fact that athletes do abuse drugs and alcohol. We discussed the fact that drug use in sports and society is reaching endemic proportions. It is alarming that that many college students on the Oregon football team are using marijuana, not only because it is illegal but also because it goes against the NCAA policy for banned substances. Coakley discusses the fact that deviance in sports is starting to get out of control on page 191 of the textbook. He claims that in order to contol deviant unconformity, it requires an assessment and transformation of norms and social organization of sports. A transformation of that magnitude in sports requires the participation of everyone involved, and the chances of that happening are very slim to none. Deviance will remain a factor in sports as long as sports are around, the only solution is to put into place as many rules and restrictions to try to deter athletes from becoming deviant.

Sports and Economics: Kings Using City Money for New Stadium

The Sacramento Kings have been a struggling NBA franchise for the better part of a decade now. The team has not had very much success since the early 2000's when they were a perrenial playoff team. The team is now looking for a change to infuse some life into the squad, and are currently trying to build a new stadium in hopes of doing so. The Maloof brothers (pictured left) are the owners of the Kings, the brothers were in danger of having to move the franchise to Anaheim before last season. They were able to pull off a deal to keep the team in Sacramento and are now trying to get funds for a new stadium.

This Article from ESPN breaks a story that the Kings may be very close to making their new stadium hopes a reality. The Kings and the NBA announced that they have reached a tentative agreement to finance a new stadium. The proposed agreement says that the Kings will be using approximately $200-$250 million from the city of Sacramento to finance the $387 million stadium. The Maloof brothers are expected to contribute about $75 million, and also pay off a current $67 million load from the city of Sacramento. Another operator of the arena is said to contribute $60 million more. NBA Commissioner David Stern said he had a great experience working with the Maloof brothers, and was glad to get a deal done.
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7621128/sacramento-kings-strike-arena-deal-stay-city

We spoke about sports and economics in class on 3/20 and 3/22. We spoke about how team owners look to the public for assistance with sports franchises. We spoke about how teams use public funds to construct and maintain facilities. We also learned that there are many arguments for using city money for constructing arenas such as, creating new jobs, the infusion of money into the local economy, and the attraction of other businesses. As always when there are arguments in favor of something there are some against it such as, the jobs only being seasonal, and discretionary money is limited. Coakley says on page 375, that the belief a city cannot have "major league status" unless they have a sports franchise is the major reason that teams are able to recieve public money for funding.

Gender and Sport: Brittney Griner Dominates Women's College Ball

Brittney Griner is not only the talk of the Women's College Basketball game, but she is dominating the news of the entire sport. She is recieving press from every newspaper to website across the nation. Griner led her Baylor Lady Bears to an undefeated season, and National Championship this season. Her game is being compared to that of men. This type of publicity for a female athlete has not been seen in some time, so this is great for not only women's sports, but sports in general. Griner has unbelievable size and skill sets, that most women dont posses, such as the ability to dunk (pictured right).

The article highlights how Griner dominated the National Championship game with a 26 point and 13 rebound performance. Baylor beat Notre Dame in convincing fashion with a 80-61 win. The article claims that after the game Coach McGraw of Notre Dame made some controversial comments when she said, "She’s one of a kind. She’s like a guy playing with women. It’s just there’s so many things that she can do that I’ve not seen a lot of women (do).” McGraw later clarified her comments stating they were intended to be a compliment. The article also says that whether it was intended to be a comment or not, it would be wise to sensor comments such as McGraw's to make sure that the accomplishments of Griner and her team are kept as "women's" accomplishments and not compared to that of men. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/post/baylors-brittney-griner-dominates-ncaa-title-game-notre-dame-coach-shes-like-a-guy-playing-with-women/2012/04/04/gIQAZBo7uS_blog.html

In class on 4/17 and 4/19, we spoke about women in sport not getting covered in the press as much as they should. We also did an exercise where it was difficult for everyone to identify any of the female athletes on the worksheet. So this media coverage for Griner and her Lady Bears is a breath of fresh air. It will hopefully open a window to future coverage for women's sports. Coakley claims on page 232 that the most dramatic change in sports over the last two generations has been that women and girls now participate more regularly in sports. He credits this fact to certain factors such as new opportunities that have been created for women. Coakley also claims that girls and women dont have equal share of resources in most communities, which could explain the fact they dont recieve as much press coverage as men.

The Continued use of Steroids in Baseball

Steroids continue to find the headlines in major league baseball. The 2011 National League MVP, Ryan Braun recently tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. The reigning MVP was later given a 50 game ban by the MLB as a punishment for his positive test. Braun later appealed the suspension and eventually had it overturned, the first suspension of this magnitude ever overturned in baseball history.
The article explains that Braun did test positive for PED's, or performance enhancing drugs, and did plan on appealing his 50 game suspension. The article also says that Braun called the test results "BS." ESPN reported that Braun took a test in the 2011 playoffs and was informed later in October of the test results. The article says Braun tested positive for high levels of testosterone in his system. The tests showed the testosterone in his system was synthetic. Braun claimed his urine sample had been tampered with from whoever was handling it. Whatever evidence he had to support this accusation was good enough for the MLB to overturn their ruling. The article also shows other MLB players showing their support for Braun as he was going through this rough patch.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2011/12/ryan-braun-steroids-50-game-suspension-appeal/1
In class we discussed steroids and their harsh effects on the body on 4/3 and 4/5. We  discussed the 6 major categories of performance-enhancing drugs which are : stimulants, narcotic anagesics, anabolic steroids, beta blockers, diuretics, and peptide hormones. These drugs are very dangerous and can become addictive as well as lower a person's life expectancy. We discussed the fact that sports are now drug filled, with drugs that cannot be detected by the testing policies in place by each league. For me being a huge sports fan, I really wish there was a way to remove PED's from every league for good. Coakley speaks to the fact that it is so tough to deter athletes from using these substances because it gives them the athletic advantage on page 184 of his text. He says the substances help them pursue their dreams and keep them in the sports which are their jobs. He also says that drug testing is needed to not only keep a level playing field, but also protect the health of these athletes. Coakley says drug testing is controversial as their are powerful arguments for and against it.

Violence in Sport; Very Evident in Flyers/Penguins Playoff Series

This years Stanley Cup Playoffs Series between the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins has been more like a boxing match than a hockey series. The series has included 182 penalty minutes, and 5 fighting majors. The two teams were rivals coming in, so it is no surprise there would be a few cheap shots, but no one could have predicted the amount of fighting the series has exhibited. The Penguins came into the series as prohibited favorites, but the series has not gone that way at all. The Flyers have a commanding 3-0 series lead, and are not just winning games, they are destroying the Penguins. After the malee that broke out in game 3, the Penguins now have a few players who have recieved suspensions from the NHL.


The article explains how the Flyers are in total control of the series. It also explains how this is one of the most entertaining series in the playoffs this season. Through 3 games the two teams have scored a ridicuolous 32 goals. Most of the entertainment is not from the scoring though, it is from all the fights. The article states, "In short, it has been an absolute thrill-ride for fans of high scoring, venomous and snarl-filled hockey."
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1146363-nhl-playoffs-penguins-vs-flyers-is-a-lesson-in-attractive-chaos

We discussed deviance in sport in class on 4/3 and 4/5. Some research that was done that we talked about in class said that fighting and violence are less common in sports today than they were in the past. Clearly that statistic does not ring true to this series, as there has been an unbelievable amount of fighting. We also discussed bounty hunting, now I wouldn't go as far as to say these players have been given orders by coaches to go after players, but it's clear these teams are intentionally going after each other on multiple occassions throughout the games. Coakley discusses on the field violence on page 198, and discusses the different types of violence. He discusses "boarderline violence," and "Quasi-criminal violence." He defines borderline violence as practices that violate the rules of the game but are accepted by coaches and players. This kind of violence is the many fights and penalties that are discussed in the article. Coakley defines Quasi-criminal violence as practices that violate the formal rules and even informal norms. Thes types of acts would be the cheap shots or hits that warrant suspensions that were handed down to Penguins players, James Neal and Aaron Asham.

Ethnicity in Sports: The Recognition of Jackie Robinson Day

Up until 1947, the MLB was an all white league, that all changed when the Brooklyn Dodgers did the unthinkable, signing an African American player. African Americans had been opressed in our country for hundreds of years not only in society, but in sport as well. Jackie Roosevelt Robinson, with the help of Branch Rickey is the reason baseball began to turn a corner, by beginning African American ballplayers. Robinson was the first player to break the color barrier when he debuted at second base for the Dodgers on April 14, 1947. Robinson was the perfect player to be the first to break the barrier, because of his unbelievable ability to "turn the cheek." Rickey and the Dodgers told Robinson that it would not be an easy task and that there would be many hardships to endure. Robinson was up to the task and stuck it out with great courageousness and professionalism, and eventually became a fan favorite. Robinson became beloved for his hard play on the field, which earned him the Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, and a World Series Championship in 1955.

Major League Baseball just celebrated their 65th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson Day on Sunday(4/15). ESPN wrote this article, explaining how far the MLB has come in the years since Robinson broke the color barrier. http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7817037/mlb-honors-jackie-robinson-ballpark-tributes

The article explains how the MLB holds a celebration at every ballpark in honor of Jackie. There are ceremonies before the games, that involve Jackie's family, friends, and former teammates. Every player and coach in the game now wears Jackie's retired number 42 jersey, to commemorate him and his incredible accomplishments. Before the Yankees game at Yankee Stadium, there was a ceremony where Jackie's wife and daughter were able to partake in on the field with the current teams. Many players in the league also remembered Jackie in their own way, by showing support by putting his name and number on their equipment. The article also says that the number of African American players in the MLB has declined to 8.1% this season. The MLB has many programs trying to get kids from the inner cities to get interested in baseball again. 

We spoke about race and ethnicity in sports in clas on 4/10 and 4/12, and actually spoke in depth about Jackie Robinson and him breaking the color barrier. We also spoke about the fact that African Americans faced a segregated sports system prior to the 1950's. Another fact we covered, was that African American men and women are under represented in most sports. In Coakley's text, on page 293 he discusses sport participation among African Americans. This is very important because, without Jackie Robinson participation in sports for African Americans would not be possible. This is also spoken about in the article with the fact that there is a need to get kids ready to play at a young age, as there is a decline in African Americans in the MLB this season.



Why Saints' "BountyGate" is no Surprise

Sports are used as a window into society, and based solely on sport you can tell a lot about our culture today. Football is the number one sport in America, only because it exhibits the most amount of violence out of any sport played here today. Earlier in the week, it was reported on ESPN that the New Orleans Saints' coaching staff was offering their players money for "big hits," and injuring opposing players. In todays society, we love violence and our values would support that. We discussed how our values are shown through sport in class on February 2.


In the article Ashley Fox discusses the "bounties" the Saints coaching staff was allegedly placing on other players and how the players were compensated for them. Many other former and current players have come out saying this system is in place all around the league with many organizations, the Saints were just the first ones caught. It is not surprising at all like I said earlier, based on many sports fans values nowadays. As fans we want to see the big hits and the teams want the upper edge so why not try to hurt opposing players? The article also discusses possible penalties handed down by the commissioners office.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7645118/saints-coach-sean-payton-gm-mickey-loomis-deserve-fired-bounty-program

In Coakley's text, he discusses our values and how sport is a mirror of society on page 18. He claims that sports reaffirm our beliefs because they show through in the games we love. Sports are a great way to show off America's beliefs and ideals, because millions of people in the country love and participate in sport. These violent acts in football that the Saints have committed are just another place our beliefs and culture are showing through

http://news.yahoo.com/video/sports-15749645/new-orleans-saints-face-sanctions-for-bounty-gate-28514896.html#crsl=%252Fvideo%252Fsports-15749645%252Fnfl-bounty-scandal-could-end-up-in-courts-28518006.html

Elite Sport Training Programs

More and more now in today's youth sports, parents are turning to "elite training" for their children. Parents are placing children in these academies that put children through intense work-out regimines and drilling them to encourage early specialization in a certain skill or sport. We discussed this new trend in class on February 16.

The article describes the vigourous training the children go through everyday to become elite athletes in their respective sports. It also discusses how long the athletes will be doing this training, and whether or not the specified time is safe for them or not. One important thing discussed in the article are the signs of overtraining some students will endure such as: getting tired more easily, irritability and unwillingness to work with other teammates, lack of motivation to practice, decreased ability to achieve training goals, and slower times in certain drills. Children often become very stressed and overworked in these types of environments, which has forced many people into comparing it with child labor laws.
http://www.sportssafety.org/articles/how-much-training/


In Coakley's text, he discusses these new elite programs on pages 131-132. Coakley talks about how the "Children in high-performance training programs work at their sports for long hours week after week and year after year." This is one of the same concepts discussed in the article, as well as in class. Coakley also discusses the issue of the training infringing on child labor law issues. In the text on page 132, there is even a line that says it borders on child abuse.

The video link below is a clip of the elite gymnastics training that is the main focus of most of the new academies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqRKc5vChw0

Role Models in Sport, Is it Their Job?

Children often look up to sports figures as role models and figures to mold their own lives after. They choose these sports figures because athletes are in the spotlight more so than figures children should be idolizing such as; teachers, parents, grandparents, and successfull business men/women. We discussed the topic of role models in sport on February 14 in class. While discussing this topic we learned that at the beginning of the 20th century athletes began to view being a role model as a part of their job. Another issue we discussed were the qualities that made up a good role model such as:
-Honesty
-Commitment
-Good Sportsmanship
-Sense of Humor
-Fairness
-Determination
-Good Self-Image
-High Moral Values

This slideshow that identifies the 25 best sports role models over the last 25 years, shows each of these qualities within the players. The article explains how each athlete was able to overcome adversity, or show great play on their respective field, or give back to their communities through charity.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1043972-top-25-sports-models-of-last-25-years#/articles/1043972-top-25-sports-models-of-last-25-years
Tiger Woods (pictured right) is one of the most controversial role models in recent sport history, and we have talked about him on numerous occassions in class. He has been scrutinized for his actions off the golf course, but remains a great role model for the work he continues to do through the Tiger Woods Foundation. Some of the other great role models we covered in class are: Dwight Howard, Tim Tebow, Lance Armstrong, but perhaps the greatest of all is Pat Tillman. Tillman gave up a contract to play safety for the Arizona Cardinals, and it ended up costing him his life while he was fighting for his country. We also covered some of the worst figures in sport: Plaxico Burress, Gilbert Arenas, Adam "Pacman" Jones, Terrell Owens, and of course Michael Vick.

Children Dropping Out of Youth Sport

Children have been participating in youth sports now since the 20th century. The creation of Little League in 1938, was one decisive factor in jumpstarting youth sports in this country. Over the years programs have continued to grow, while others continue to sprout up all over the country. As we learned in class on February 14, there are now 47 million children participating in youth sport.

 In the article I found on youth sports, it is said that 80% of these children participating in youth programs drop out by the age 12. One reason they claim, just as we did in class, that children drop out is because sport is losing its "fun factor." The article also makes the point that many of the coaches and instructors that are coaching these teams are not paid and are just doing it for their children. Knowing this many of the coaches do not have proper coaching certificates, therefore may not know how to properly deal with children. We spoke about this in class, eluding to the fact that this makes learning the game not so fun for children, because an emphasis is placed on winning instead of fundamental skills. If these sport programs were able to find coaches who have proper training, that would allow the children to have all the attention and skills that it takes to have sports become fun again. These coaches and instructors also need to know how to give children positive encouragement, far too many times added pressure is placed on these kids, leading to negative experiences in these sports.
http://newsinfo.iu.edu/web/page/normal/3885.html

These ideas are evident in Coakley's text, displayed on page 94. Coakley expresses that the 3 main factors children stay involved in sports have to do with: the child's abilities and characteristics, the influence and support of significant others, and the availability of opportunites to play sports.